SPRINGSTEEN COURT BATTLE RESUMES

Masquerade Music are hoping to overturn a 1998 court ruling preventing them from releasing early Springsteen material...

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN returned to LONDON’s HIGH COURT today (March 28) to contest a COURT OF APPEAL bid by a company seeking to release some of his early recordings.

Masquerade Music is challenging an injunction imposed by the High Court in December 1998 banning them from releasing two early albums, ‘Unearthed’ and ‘Unearthed II’. Lawyers for Masquerade told Lords Justice Waller, Laws and Parker that the decision had been based on inadmissable evidence. Springsteen was also awarded damages for breach of copyright.

The judge at the time heard that Springsteen took exception to the marketing of his recordings that had never before been legitimately released.

After winning in 1998, the legendary singer said: “I came here to defend ownership of my music. It is something I have fought for since I began working and I am really satisfied with the result today.

“The music you release is the way you shape your career and I have always believed you have to do all you can to protect your work. It’s an artistic question.

“I would not want to have to go through another action like this but if it was necessary then I would not pull back.”

Springsteen was not in court today. The hearing is expected to last two to three days.